Concordia University March 23, 2010

Applied Ordinary Differential Equations

ENGR 213 - Section F
Prof. Alina Stancu

Exam II (A)

(1) (6 points) Solve the homogeneous ODE

x2 y 00 + 5xy 0 + 4y = 0.

Solution: The characteristic equation of this homogeneous Cauchy-Euler ODE is

m(m 1) + 5m + 4 = 0 or m2 + 4m + 4 = 0. It has a double root r = 2. Hence the
general solution of the ODE on x > 0 (or x < 0) is
y(x) = c1 x2 + c2 x2 ln x, c1,2 = constants.

(2) (14 points) Solve the initial value problem

y 00 + 4y 0 + 5y = e2x , y(0) = 0, y 0 (0) = 1.

Solution: Consider first the associated homogeneous ODE: y 00 + 4y 0 + 5y = 0 with

the characteristic equation r2 + 4r + 5 = 0 whose roots are r1,2 = 2 i. Hence
yc (x) = c1 e2x cos x + c2 e2x sin x, c1,2 = constants.

We now look for a particular solution yp to the non-homogenous ODE. Well use here
the method of undetermined coefficients by setting yp (x) = Ae2x . As yp (x) = 2Ae2x
and yp00 (x) = 4Ae2x , we deduce that 4Ae2x 8Ae2x + 5Ae2x = e2x A = 1 and
yp (x) = e2x .
Thus

ygeneral (x) = c1 e2x cos x + c2 e2x sin x + e2x , c1,2 = constants.

Well now use the initial conditions to find c1,2 . As y(0) = 0, we have c1 + 1 =
0 c1 = 1. Evaluating y 0 (x) = c1 (2e2x cos x e2x sin x) + c2 (2e2x sin x +
e2x cos x) 2e2x , thus y 0 (0) = 2c1 + c2 2 = c2 = 1.
Therefore the solution of the IVP is
y(x) = e2x cos x + e2x sin x + e2x .

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(3) (10 points) Use the variation of parameters to solve the differential equation

y 00 + y = cos2 x.

Solution: The complementary part of the solution follows from r2 +1 = 0 r = i

and is
yc (x) = c1 cos x + c2 sin x.
Considering y1 (x) = cos x, y2 (x) = sin x, the Wronskian is W (x) = 1 6= 0 for all real
0 sin x
xs. To find the complementary solution we calculate W1 (x) = det 2 =
cos x cos x

cos x 0
sin x cos2 x and W2 (x) = det = cos3 x.
sin x cos2 x
The method of variation of parameters gives yp (x) = y1 (x)u1 (x) + y2 (x)u2 (x), where
u01 (x) = W1 (x)/W (x) and u02 (x) = W2 (x)/W (x).
Integrating (by taking u = cos x du = sin x dx) and taking the constant of integra-
tion to be zero, we have
Z Z
u3 cos3 x
u1 (x) = ( sin x cos x) dx = u2 du =
2
= .
3 3
On the other hand,
Z Z Z
3 2 u3 sin3 x
u2 (x) = cos x dx = cos x (1 sin x) dx = (1 u2 ) du = u = sin x ,
3 3
where above we used the fundamental identity of trigonometry (sin2 x + cos2 x = 1)
and the substitution u = sin x, du = cos x dx.
Consequently,

cos3 x sin3 x
yp (x) = cos x + sin x sin x
3 3
and
cos4 x sin4 x
y(x) = c1 cos x + c2 sin x + + sin2 x , c1,2 = arbitrary constants.
3 3

(4) (10 points) A mass weighing 10 pounds stretches a spring 0.5 foot. Determine the
equation of motion if the mass is initially released from a point 6 inches below the
equilibrium position with a downward velocity of 4 ft/s. What is the instantaneous
velocity at the first time when the mass passes through the equilibrium position?

Solution: The equation of motion is mx00 + kx = 0, where m = 10/32 slug and

k = 10/0.5 = 20 ft/lb. Thus
x00 + 64x = 0 x(t) = c1 cos 8t + c2 sin 8t, c1,2 = constants.
To determine the constants, use the initial conditions. As x(0) = 1/2 ft, c1 = 1/2.
Additionally, x0 (t) = 8c1 sin 8t + 8c2 cos 8t, thus x0 (0) = 4 ft/sec and 8c2 = 4.
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Consequently, x(t) = 12 cos 8t + 12 sin 8t and x0 (t) = 4 sin 8t + 4 cos 8t. To find the
time when the mass passes through the equilibrium position, set x(t) = 0. Note that
this implies tan(8t) = 1 whose first positive solution is for 8t = 3/4. So

2 2
x0 (3/32) = 4 4 = 4 2 ft/sec
2 2
is the answer needed.